You read that correctly. I’m officially back from hibernation and it’s glorious! A huge thank you to The Nosher for the little push to come back in the ice cream game! This post originally appeared on their website on July 1st.

Today is a very special day. Not only is it July, and hence my favorite month because it is National Ice Cream Month, but it is also my first blog post since The Husband and I welcomed Baby Sugar into our lives!

When thinking about what ice cream flavor to make for 365scoops’ grand “re-opening” I felt it fitting to write about the marriage of my two favorite desserts: strawberry rhubarb anything (err, pie or crumble) and ice cream.

Beautiful Rhubarb

I have always had a love affair with strawberry rhubarb pie. I literally cannot get enough of it. One of my more embarrassing restaurant experiences happens to involve strawberry rhubarb pie. The Husband took me out to a yummy dinner for my birthday. My only request was warm strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert. The pie came and lo and behold, it was cold. I sent it back. It came again, and alas, still cold. The Hubby, who is normally a very reserved, I’m-not-going-to-return-my-food-and-bother-the-waiter-I’ll-eat-it-no-matter-what kind of guy said, “just eat it, who cares” to which I responded ever so kindly, “oh hell no”. I gently reminded him that it was my birthday and would he be so kind as to ask the server again to bring a warm slice of pie. Consider it my birthday gift, I told him. The Husband begrudgingly motioned for the server to come over, for a third time, and provide us with a warm slice of pie. Picture little beads of sweat pooling on The Husband’s forehead and upper lip. Picture me sinking in my chair out of shear embarrassment and fear. And now picture a piping hot slice of strawberry rhubarb pie landing at our table. That, my friends, was splendid.

Sweet, sweet strawberries

This recipe is a perfect fusion of pie and ice cream. Picture rich vanilla bean ice cream with chunks of strawberry rhubarb crumble. Talk about delicious! For this recipe you’ll make a simple strawberry rhubarb crumble and throw chunks of it into freshly churned vanilla bean ice cream. It’s like deconstructed pie a-la-mode. Need I say more?

Bringing the vanilla bean ice cream mixture to 165 degrees F

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Ingredients

3 cups half-and-half

4 egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1 tbs vanilla bean paste

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Method

In a medium saucepan, heat two cups of half-and-half until small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Add the vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract and whisk thoroughly. Set aside.

In the meantime, in a heat-proof bowl, whisk together the four egg yolks, slowly adding in the sugar until the mixture thickens and turns a pale yellow.

Temper the eggs by slowly pouring the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, stirring vigorously until well-incorporated. Pour back into the medium sauce pan and heat until a candy thermometer reads 165 degrees F, or the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spatula. Remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, removing any small clumps that may have formed. Pour in the last cup of half-and-half, and set aside. Let the mixture cool completely before refrigerating for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Place on a baking sheet in case the crumble erupts and bake until filling bubbles and topping is crisp, about 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes.

At this point, the ice cream base should be cold enough for you to churn. Pour the vanilla bean mixture into the base of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (approximately 20 minutes).

Freshly baked strawberry rhubarb crumble. Yes, I stole a few bites. Can you blame me?

When the ice cream is done, scoop a heaping spoonful of ice cream into a storage container, and break pieces of the crumble into the ice cream. Stir gently and repeat until you have a container full of ice cream and crumble. Return this heavenly treat to the freezer for a few hours to harden, or if you can’t wait, enjoy immediately.

Layering the ice cream

If you’re serving it straight from the freezer, let it sit out for approximately 10 minutes to soften before scooping.

This ice cream can last in your freezer for up to a month but I have never, ever, seen it last that long.

Amen friends, amen. This recipe for bite-sized mint chip bon bons calls for a fast eater! I fully support savoring delicious foods, eating slowly so as to delight in each bite. That, however, does not work with ice cream! The longer you wait, the faster it melts. Same goes for these bon bons. These morsels of goodness are smothered in chocolate, so if you hold them for more than the time it takes to grab from the freezer and pop in your mouth, you’ll be covered in chocolate. A sure sign that you’re eating too slowly!

You may recall the great mint tragedy of 2011. It was epic. The first failure of 365scoops. But hey, it was a learning experience and ever since then, I’ve tried to reclaim my mint ice cream recipes, perfecting them in hopes of an “ah-hah” mint ice cream moment. I think we’re nearly there!

These bon bons are an ode to mint chip ice cream, and a fun twist on the classic ice cream. Rather than having to get a bowl and spoon, and go into the freezer and scoop out ice cream, these special treats are already bite-sized. All you have to do is grab one (or two, or three….) and enjoy. They’re so simple that they’re hard to resist.

The crunchy outer shell, mixed with the refreshing mint chip ice cream is an absolutely satisfying snack. Plus they’re totally adorable and hard to refuse. In fact, I swear that every time I open the freezer (allegedly to get out frozen spinach, or some ice cubes) I hear “eat me, eat me.” I’ve had my ears checked. There’s nothing wrong with me. I swear these things talk. And you know what? I listen. That’s right, I’m a good listener, and I’d hate to disappoint these cute little guys. And so I indulge them and eat one. I’m a real martyr. Thankyouverymuch.

One of the great things about this recipe is that it is egg-free, which in the ice cream world means hassle free. While I generally prefer custards (they’re much creamier and often a more robust flavor) they require an additional step of tempering eggs. It’s certainly worth it, but in a pinch, egg-free ice cream will do. This ice cream recipe contains 4 ingredients and nothing more. No preservatives, no junk, no nothing. Just pure mint-chocolatey goodness. I’ll raise a scoop to that!

First, make the chocolate chips by melting 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (not chips, but the 1oz blocks) in the microwave in 30 second increments. Stir and repeat until the chocolate is fully melted. Spread the chocolate into a very thin layer onto a piece of parchment paper. Transfer to freezer and let harden until you’re ready to break the chocolate into chips.

Scoops of ice cream with toothpicks

Next, make the ice cream. Pour three cups of half-and-half and sugar into a medium pan and heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Whisk periodically so that the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and stir in the mint extract. If you want a stronger mint taste then add a bit more mint extract, but remember, a little goes a long way, so I would suggest adding in a drop at a time, whisking thoroughly, and then tasting to be sure you haven’t overdone it! Let this mixture cool completely, and transfer to the refrigerator to chill.

Once the mixture is fully chilled, transfer to the base of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (approximately 2o minutes). While the mixture is churning, take the chocolate sheet out of the freezer and using a paring knife, slice the chocolate into very thin slivers to make chocolate chips (if done correctly, the chips will almost look like little slivers of glass). Approximately 5 minutes before the mixture is done churning slowly pour in the chocolate chips. Once done churning, transfer to a freezer safe container and let harden overnight.

To make the 12 bon bons line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take a scoop of ice cream, and transfer quickly to the baking sheet. Put a toothpick in each scoop and return to freezer. You’ll need to work very quickly here or else the ice cream balls will melt. Let them harden in the freezer for a few hours before you begin dipping. (You will have leftover ice cream which you can either enjoy itself, or you can double the chocolate and make an additional dozen bon bons.)

When you’re ready to coat the bon bons, melt the 6 oz of chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir, and repeat until the chocolate is completely melted.

The finished product! Bon Appetit

Remove the ice cream from the freezer, pick up each ice cream ball by the toothpick and dip very quickly into the warm chocolate. Flip over and repeat on the other side. Remove the toothpick and immediately transfer to the freezer. Repeat until you’ve done this with all 12 bon bons. This is an extremely messy process and not an exact science. The bon bons will not be the most beautiful shape, that’s OK. I promise, they taste delicious. Let harden in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before enjoying. Serve with a fresh sprig of mint and voila, you have your very own mint chip bon bons!

The Verdict: Delicious! The chocolate shell is quite thick, so if you don’t want so much chocolate coating, feel free to only dip one side, or to drizzle the chocolate on top instead of fully immersing the ice cream balls into the chocolate. No matter how you shake it, the combination of mint and chocolate is truly irresistible and very refreshing! These are a perfect dessert for any meal!

In honor of 365scoops’ anniversary, receive 10% off your next order throughout the month of April. Mention code 365ANN and consider it done!

Many people ask why I named this blog 365scoops. Simply put, I believe that everyone should eat ice cream daily, heck, a scoop a day keeps the doctor away! So, in honor of that motto, I’ve created a very special birthday ice cream treat.

Melt the sugar over medium to moderately high heat in a larger pot than you think you’ll need–at least two quarts, whisking or stirring the sugar as it melts to ensure it heats evenly. Cook the liquefied sugar to a nice copper color.

Copper colored sugar, right before adding the butter and cream

Add the sea salt and butter and stir until the butter melts. Lower the heat and slowly drizzle in the heavy cream, whisking the whole time. The sauce will foam and hiss; just ignore it and whisk until the sauce is smooth. Taste it and if you think it needs more sea salt, grind in a bit more. Set aside until needed. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, but you’ll be using it all in this outstanding ice cream!

Ingredients: Chocolate Covered Waffle Cones

1 cup waffle cones, broken into small- medium pieces

1/2 cup melted milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup melted white chocolate chips

Freshly ground sea salt (optional)

Sugar and foaming butter...it's about to be delicious

Method: Chocolate Covered Waffle Cones

Carefully break the waffle cones into small-medium pieces.

Heat the milk chocolate chips then the white chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and heat again for 10 seconds. Stir and repeat until the chocolate chips are melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate!

Dip half of the pieces of cone into the chocolate and coat completely. Repeat with the white chocolate. Place the chocolate covered cone pieces on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet, and if you want, drizzle with freshly grated sea salt. Let the cone pieces harden in the refrigerator for approximately 35 minutes and reserve for later.

Creamy dreamy caramel

Method: Ice Cream

In a saucepan heat the half-and-half until small bubbles form around the sides. Set aside. While the mixture is heating, whisk together three egg yolks and sugar in a large heat-proof bowl until the mixture thickens and turns a pale yellow. Temper the eggs by slowly pouring in the heated half-and-half and whisking together. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan, add in the vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract. Heat the mixture until it reaches 175 degrees or is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Let cool completely before refrigerating for 1-2 hours.

Dipping the milk chocolate cone

The Great Assembly

Once the ice cream is chilled, pour into the base of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Approximately 5 minutes before the mixture is done churning pour in the chocolate covered waffle cone pieces. Once done churning you’ll need to assemble the ice cream with the salted caramel swirl. Scoop 2 tbs of caramel on the bottom of the freezer safe container. Layer with a hefty scoop of ice cream. Repeat until you fill the container, each time digging the spoon to the base of the ice cream and swirling very gently so that the caramel swirls throughout the ice cream.

Beautiful chocolate and sea-salt covered waffle cones

Top with a few extra chocolate covered waffle cone pieces for good measure and return to the freezer to harden. When you’re ready to eat it, grab and spoon and dive in!

The Verdict: TERRIFIC!!! What a wonderful way to celebrate this most auspicious day….365 days of 365scoops! The Hubby and I had friends over to celebrate this occasion and they absolutely loved the ice cream. In fact,

Up close and personal. Beautiful caramel swirls and chocolate covered waffle cones.

This is a very special week at 365scoops. The first person to tell me why gets $5 off his/her next order!

Anyhow, on Sunday I taught a really fun ice cream class and my wonderful students brought so much joy and energy to the class, that it made making ice cream such a blast!

My students requested two flavors, one with a vanilla base (to be seen later this week) and one with a chocolate base. They told me that they love chocolate peanut butter, and immediately I knew that we had to swirl in some peanut butter brownies. I spent the week testing new recipes (which resulted in lots of additional junk food in Casa Sugar but what can you do?) and found the perfect combination of salty, sweet, and of course, chewy and fudgy.

Brownie crumbles

Many of my ice creams include baked goods, and for each of these recipes, I always slightly undercook the cookie or brownie. The reason being that when frozen into ice cream, these cookies or brownies harden quite a bit. If you use a fully cooked brownie, it will be rock solid when you take a bite. We all know that breaking a tooth on ice cream would really ruin the dining experience! So, instead, I shave a few minutes off the baking time (don’t worry the eggs are fully cooked!) and voila, you’ll have delicious home-made mix-ins!

Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies

Ice Cream Ingredients

3 cups half-and-half

3 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted

1 ½ cups of peanut butter cup brownies, cut into small chunks

Chocolate shavings for the brownie mixture

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Ingredients

Adapted from David Lebovitz

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted undated butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1tsp vanilla bean paste

1/8 tsp salt (I added a bit more)

1/2 cup milk chocolate and peanut butter chips

1/2 cup mini peanut butter cups

Do you see those mini peanut butter cups? And the chocolate chips peeping through. It was totally delicious!

Peanut Butter Brownie Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking pan with tin foil, making sure that it covers all sides of the pan. Grease with either butter or spray.

Chop the butter and the chocolate into pieces.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, stirring occasionally to break up the chunks.

Melt butter add and add the chopped chocolate, whisking thoroughly until all the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add in sugar and mix thoroughly. Add in the two eggs and again, mix completely.

Slowly add in the flour and salt and beat vigorously for 30 seconds.

Pour half the batter into the pan, sprinkle the milk chocolate/peanut butter chips on top, and cover with the remaining batter. Top with mini peanut butter cups and bake for 23-35 minutes until the brownies set, but are still chewy and fudgy. The brownies can be stored at room temperature for up to three days.

Triple chocolate decadence

Ice Cream Method

Sift the cocoa into a bowl. Pour in the chocolate chips and the chopped unsweetened chocolate. Set aside.

Pour the half-and-half into a medium saucepan and heat until steam begins rising (but it’s not boiling). Once heated, pour in the triple chocolate mixture whisking vigorously until the chocolate is well-mixed and entirely melted. Continue heating the chocolate milk mixture until small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Set aside.

Whisk together the three egg yolks in a large heat-proof bowl, slowly adding in the sugar until the mixture thickens and turns pale yellow. To temper the eggs slowly pour in the chocolate mixture and whisk into the egg mixture. Pour back into a medium saucepan and heat until the mixture reaches 175 degrees or is thick enough to coat the back of a spatula. Remove from heat, cool thoroughly and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Whisking the three types of chocolate and half-and-half

When you are ready to churn pour into the base of an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Approximately 5 minutes before the ice cream is done, pour in the brownie chunks. Transfer to a freezer safe container and let freeze for 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

The Verdict: I suppose you know something is good when we dig into the pan of freshly baked brownies and literally cannot stop eating them! As soon as they came out of the oven, my students and I had to taste them, and once we did, we were addicted. For every brownie chunk that we put into the ice cream, we took another one for ourselves. It was absolutely delicious. Dig in and enjoy!

To say that I hate bananas is a gross understatement. For those of you who know me, you know that I loathe bananas. I despise bananas. I am utterly repulsed by bananas. They smell. The consistency is disgusting. And the sound they make when people eat them? Uch. Fuggedaboutit. And what’s worse? A rotten banana.

Each year for The Husband’s birthday I make him chocolate chip banana bread. It’s a labor of love. I pinch my nose the entire time while baking it, and each time, he calls me a baby. I swear that I am allergic to bananas. In fact, sometimes I tell people that I have a very serious banana allergy just so that I don’t have to explain that I actually dislike bananas.

This year, The Husband turned the big 3o. I’ve been prepping myself for this day for years and as his “much younger wife” it’s my duty to remind him, day in and day out, just how old he has become (and just how young I remain!) As a special treat for his birthday I decided to make an outrageous triple-layer chocolate peanut butter cake (it was breathtaking!) with none other than…drumroll please…banana ice cream.

Now that’s love!

Two rotten bananas + two fresh bananas = gross!

To make this banana ice cream I used two uber-rotten bananas, and two fresh ones. The combination was perfect, and really mimicked the taste of banana bread. (Or so I’ve been told — this is actually the first ice cream that I have not tasted, so technically I cannot vouch for it’s quality). To further enhance the banana flavor I caramelized the bananas first – and again, I’ve been told by the royal taste-testers that this was well worth it. While I’d love to add my own personal opinion of this ice cream, I will never, ever taste it. Mark my word. You’ll just have to trust The Husband and our friends who ate this ice cream. They seemed to like it, a lot, and I think you will too.

Caramelized Banana Ice Cream

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker and David Lebovitz

Bananas smothered in brown sugar and butter

Ingredients

2 yellow bananas

2 brown bananas

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbs butter

1 1/2 cups cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

Method

Caramelized bananas

Cut the four bananas into small discs. The very ripe bananas will not cut as cleanly, that’s fine, just break into small pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the bananas in it. Sprinkle with brown sugar and chopped butter. Toss well with hands and bake for 35-40 minutes until the bananas get very soft and begin to roast and caramelize.

While the bananas are cooking combine the cream, whole milk, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Whisk until small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk together the three egg yolks, slowly adding in the white sugar until the egg yolks thicken and become pale yellow. Slowly temper the eggs by pouring the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, stirring in between each pour.

At this point, the bananas should be done roasting. Remove them from the oven and set aside.

Tempering the eggs

Pour the egg/milk mixture back into the medium saucepan and heat until it reaches 170 degrees and the eggs are fully cooked. If you don’t have a candy thermometer the mixture is cooked when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spatula or wooden spoon.

Next, add the bananas into the milk mixture. Stir thoroughly to break up the small banana pieces. Transfer to a blender and puree until the mixture is smooth. Let the banana ice cream base chill completely before refrigerating for at least two hours.

Mixing in the bananas before pureeing in the blender

Transfer the fully chilled mixture into the base of an ice cream maker, and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, approximately 20 minutes. When it’s done, freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up, or enjoy “soft serve” straight out of the machine.

The Verdict: I asked The Husband what to write here – after all, I never tasted this flavor, so how could I know. In his words, “this $hit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S”. Enjoy!

With Thanksgiving around the corner I have a one-track mind: pumpkin. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin spice cake, pumpkin soup, pumpkin muffins and pumpkin ice cream. I’ve eaten all that in the past week. Do I have an addiction? Probably, but I’m okay with that.

For me, Thanksgiving is all about self-reflection and food. Originally intended to celebrate our freedom and to give thanks for a good harvest, Thanksgiving has morphed into a time when we gorge ourselves on foods, and spend time curled up on the sofa afterwards paying for it! Luckily, during this holiday pumpkin takes center stage.

Smalls: I haven’t had anything yet… so how can I have some more of nothing?

Ham Porter: You’re killing me, Smalls! These are s’mores stuff. Now pay attention. First you take the graham. You stick the chocolate on the graham. Then, you roast the mallow. When the mallow’s flaming, you stick it on the chocolate. Then you cover it with the other end. Then, you stuff. Kind of messy, but good!

~ The Sandlot

The S'mores Ice Cream Pie

This week I had the distinct pleasure of making a birthday cake for the best dressed one year old…ever…

Naturally, he deserved a spectacular cake. The only requests I got were chocolate, egg-free, and in a pie shell. And then the idea came to me …

S’mores Ice Cream Pie – all home made (duh). What’s in this said pie, you ask? Tons of scrumptious things including a graham cracker crust, Hershey’s chocolate ganache, triple chocolate ice cream, marshmallow fluff and toasted marshmallows. This pie was fit for a king (or a one year old, same thing!)

(Insider’s tip: If you want to be as well dressed as this cutie, order shirts from his father’s chic company!)

Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and salt. Mmmm..

S’mores Ice Cream Pie

Created by 365scoops

This is a multi-step recipe, best prepared over two days. Below I provide you with all the individual elements of this pie, and at the bottom I detail how to assemble it. Here you go…

Graham Cracker Crust

From Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for greasing

10 graham crackers (pulsed in a food processor until finely ground)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

The beautiful crust

Method

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9″ disposable pie plate. Stir together all ingredients in a bowl and press evenly on bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake until crisp, 11 minutes, then cool on a rack to room temperature, about 45 minutes. If anything, you want to under cook this slightly as it will be frozen and harden too much if over cooked.

Chocoholic

Hershey’s Chocolate Ganache

Created by 365scoops

Ingredients

9 oz Hershey’s Milk Chocolate

1 cup whipping cream

Method

Heat the whipping cream until small bubbles form around the edges, and it’s almost boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes and cool slightly before using.

Pie crust with a layer of chocolate ganache

Triple Chocolate Ice Cream

Created by 365scoops

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1/2 cup whole milk

1 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup sugar

Triple chocolate ice cream mixture

Method

Heat the whipping cream, half-and-half, whole milk and sugar on the stove top in a large pan. While it’s heating, chop the unsweetened chocolate into small pieces and measure out remaining chocolates. When small bubbles begin to form around the edges of the milk/sugar mixture, pour in the 3 types of chocolate and whisk vigorously until thoroughly blended. Let cool completely before refrigerating for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Layering the chocolate ice cream on top of the pie

Toasted Marshmallow Topping

1/4 – 1/2 cup Marshmallow Fluff

20 Marshmallows

And now for the great assembly!

I recommend making this S’mores Pie over the course of 2 days to give it ample time to set and cool.

Ice cream covered pie

Since I am a wacko-organized freak, I shall outline the steps below using none other than bullet points:

Day One: make the graham cracker crust and let it cool completely.

Next make the chocolate ganache. Once it’s cooled a bit (say, 10 minutes) scoop into the fully-cooled (this is key!) graham cracker crust. Cover tightly with tin foil and let it sit overnight.

After 2-4 hours, remove from the freezer and spread with a thin layer of Marshmallow Fluff. Put back in the freezer.

Do these remind you of a camp fire?

Place 20 Marshmallows on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Broil the marshmallows for 2 minutes, 30 second (but check them after 2 minutes to make sure they have not burned, and are only slightly brown).

Remove the pie from the freezer and decorate with the toasted marshmallows in a circular pattern. Serve immediately or store in the freezer.

Before serving, place the pie in the oven and broil for approximately 1 minute so that the marshmallows heat ever so slightly. Enjoy!

The Verdict: Last night, after the guest-of-honor (and his cool parents!) enjoyed the S’mores Ice Cream Pie, I got a voicemail and text message from his parents. Here’s what they said, I think it speaks for itself:

The S'mores Ice Cream Pie

“That cake was absolutely insane. It was like the best friggin’ cake I have ever had in my entire life! It was totally, totally ridiculous. That cake was really something not normal! I didn’t want it to end. I had cutting duty, so I cut everyone small pieces so I’d have leftovers. Thank you so much.”

Yogi Berra had a plethora of wise and witty comments to share with the world. This one happens to be right up my alley. On the rare occasion that The Husband and I go to dinner, I always push for dessert. Being that The Husband doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth (I know, I know, I am working on it…) he always defers to me. “You pick” he says, “and I’ll have one bite. You have to promise to eat the rest.” I respond by saying that I can’t eat the whole thing, it’s too big and too much. But, when the dessert arrives, I cut it in half, and lo and behold, manage to eat both halves! Yogi Berra taught me well. It’s really just mind over matter!

You may all remember that I made Key Lime Pie ice cream a few months ago. It was good, people seemed to enjoy it. But this recipe, oh this recipe, it’s in a whole different ballpark. In fact, I just went out for ice cream the other night (well, make that out for 2 ice creams, at two separate places, in one night, but who’s counting?) and so badly wanted to enjoy a refreshing fruit ice cream, so I mustered up enough courage to try the pomegranate. And then I saw chocolate. And then I saw red velvet. And then I saw coffee oreo. And then it was all over. I suppose that just proves my point: fruit is not a dessert in my book.

This flavor, however, is an exception. If I had seen this Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, I can assure you that I would have ordered it. It’s just that good.

Ok enough ranting.

Here’s how this ice cream redux came to be: The Husband and I went to Chicago a few weeks ago to spend time with The Sugar Family. It just so happened that everyone wanted to try 365scoops, so like any committed ice cream blogger, I went out and bought another ice cream maker and started taking orders. The first on the list was Key Lime Pie. I liked the flavor I made last time but wanted to try making a custard (with eggs) and thought that caramelized graham crackers would make a great addition. Graham cracker crust seemed essential for the ice cream, but I was afraid that plain graham crackers would get soggy. By caramelizing the graham crackers, the sugar essentially formed a shell to protect the graham cracker – and as a result it stayed crunchy and delicious. See Sugar solves every problem. You’ll thank me later for that pearl of wisdom.

The lime juice and zest are added to the milk base

As I was making the custard base, I noticed that it started curdling. I flipped out, and was half way to the sink to throw out the mixture when The Mother-In-Law yelped. Noooooo is all I heard her say. It was in slow motion, straight out of the movies. I’ll cut to the chase here and say that saving that mixture was the best thing I ever did. The curdling was only temporary (a result of adding lime juice – aka acid- to a milk base, totally harmless) and led to the creation of this masterpiece flavor. Here’s the recipe. Enjoy.

Tempering the eggs - adding the hot milk mixture to the egg yolk and sugar concoction

Method

Make the caramelized graham crackers and set aside.

Pour the half-and-half and milk into a pot on the stove and heat until small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Meanwhile, using a hand-mixer or whisk, mix together the egg yolks, slowly adding in the sugar until the mixture gets very thick and pale yellow. At this point, remove the milk mixture from the heat and slowly add it into the egg yolk mixture (see photo above), mixing in between milk additions until thoroughly combined.

Adding lime zest into the mixture

Now you’re going to add the lime juice and zest. Full disclosure: as much as I want to give a very detailed recipe, it’s hard to do because depending on the size of the lime, you’ll need either 4-6 to get sufficient juice. Start out by squeezing one lime at a time (into a separate bowl so you can fish out the seeds) and add to the mixture. Stir thoroughly. It will curdle, don’t be alarmed. Repeat this process until you’ve added the juice from 4 limes and then you’ll continue adding lime juice to taste. Next, zest 2 limes into a bowl and add in the zest, tablespoon by tablespoon. Again, you want this mixture to be tart and zesty, but not so puckeringly (is that a word, don’t think so) tart that you make an ugly, scrunched up face in response.

Mixture for caramelized graham crackers

Once you’ve reached your desired tartness, pour the mixture back into the pot and put it on the stove top until it thickens and reaches 185 degrees (or coats the back of a spatula). Remove from heat, let cool completely before refrigerating for at least 2 hours or overnight. The colder the mixture the better!

Remove from the refrigerator, taste the mixture. If you think it needs a bit more “oomph” add in a little more fresh lime zest. Then, pour the chilled mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Approximately 5 minutes before it’s done, add in the caramelized graham cracker chunks. Reserve 1/3 of them for garnish when you serve the ice cream. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for 2 hours before enjoying. To enjoy, serve two heaping scoops of ice cream, sprinkle with caramelized graham crackers and enjoy!

Caramelized graham crackers. Amazing.

The Verdict: Sheer pleasure. This was out-stand-ing. Definitely one of the top 5 flavors created by 365scoops. I apologize profusely for not having a photo of the final product – just imagine how good, refreshing and creamy it was!

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.” ~ Jim Davis

Jim Davis, I don’t know who you are but I like you already.

Yesterday was National Pumpkin Day and in honor of this historical moment, I made Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream. (Full disclosure: I had no idea it was actually National Pumpkin Day until someone told me. I had already planned to make this flavor when, boom, my coworker told be about the special day. I wish I were really that on top of things!)

Tomorrow also happens to be Halloween so this recipe seemed rather obvious. In honor of our main ingredient, the pumpkin, I thought I’d share a few fun facts:

Pumpkins are the harbinger of the harvest season, appearing every year as the first sign of autumn. Did you know that the word “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word “pepon,” meaning “large melon”?

Pumpkins can be grown on every continent except Antarctica, and the United States produces about 1.5 billion pounds of them each year. A Wisconsin farmer grew the largest pumpkin ever recorded. He used seaweed, cow manure, and fish emulsion to grow his pumpkin, which weighed a total of 1,810 pounds and was the size of a dumpster!

Pumpkin Spice

Let me be clear about one thing: please don’t use cow manure and fish emulsion in my pumpkin thankyouverymuch.

In case you’re worried, I used organic pumpkin puree. I had a brief, fleeting thought about making my own pumpkin puree. Then I pictured myself standing in the kitchen for hours, laboring over cutting, roasting, and seasoning the pumpkin and I thought better of it. Good thing because Whole Foods had a sale on their organic pumpkin puree, which worked just swimmingly for this recipe.

As part of my ongoing mission to taste other ice creams for “research” I made it a point to sample Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Ice Cream . Everyone has been raving about it, and I needed to stand face to face with my competition. It was, simply put, outrageously delicious. As I was savoring each bite, I noticed that a woman next to me was also enjoying the ice cream. I don’t know what came over me, but I had to take advantage of the opportunity to promote 365scoops so you know what I did? I handed her a business card and told her that I make artesanal, home-made ice cream. She looked at me like I was joking. I wasn’t. And then, the best part happened. One of the Trader Joe’s employees looked her in the eyes and said, “No, seriously, that’s Mrs. Sugar, she really does have an ice cream business!”

Ladies and gentlemen, if that’s not an endorsement I don’t know what is. I’ve made it big!

First make the ice cream base. Pour two cups half-and-half and one cup whole milk into a large pot. While that is heating, begin tempering the eggs. To do this whisk the yolks first, and slowly add in the 3/4 cups of sugar until the yolks get very thick and pale yellow. At this point, small bubbles should be forming around the edges of the milk mixture. Pour in the can of pumpkin and stir thoroughly. Remove from heat.

The ice cream mixture resting in an ice bath to expedite the cooling process

Slowly pour the pumpkin/milk mixture into the egg yolks. Stir thoroughly until well incorporated. Add in the cinnamon, cloves, ginger powder and tea masala. (Personally, I didn’t think that my ice cream was spiced enough, so at this point I should have at least doubled the proportions of seasonings, and then adjusted according to taste – oh well, next time).

Pour this mixture back into the pot and slowly heat until the mixture reaches 185 degrees F, or when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spatula. At this point the eggs are cooked. Remove from heat and let cool completely before refrigerating for at least 2 hours. To speed up the cooling process (which I did), you can fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, and rest the ice cream mixture bowl in that bowl (otherwise known as an ice bath). You’ll still need to transfer to the refrigerator, but it definitely shaves time off the cooling process.

Graham crackers, before caramelization

While cooling, make the caramelized graham crackers. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (an absolute must, or your graham crackers will stick!). Break the eight graham crackers in half, or in small pieces, whatever you prefer (pieces need to be event) and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 25o degrees. Mix butter, brown sugar and corn syrup on the stove top and heat until bubbly. Stir constantly so that it doesn’t burn. Once bubbly, remove from heat and pour in the vanilla extract. Pour this caramel mixture onto the graham crackers, mix a bit so the pieces are well covered, and cook at 25o degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven after 30 minutes and immediately take the pieces off the baking sheet (careful the caramel is VERY hot). Set the pieces aside.

Graham crackers, post caramelization

Once the ice cream mixture is chilled, pour into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Approximately 5 minutes before the mixture is done churning, slowly mix in the caramelized graham crackers. Remove from the ice cream maker, place in a freezer safe container and freeze for 2 hours before enjoying.

The Verdict: Well, it was eh. I really hate saying that, but it’s true. I’ve mentioned before that I really love ice creams that pack a punch – and really exude flavor. This one just didn’t. I am not sure whether more cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger would have added to the flavor, or whether the pumpkin to milk ratio was slightly off, but either way, I’m going to try making it again with some slight modifications. Of course I’ll post those for your reading pleasure.

Pumpkin pie ice cream, up close and personal

But, on a positive note, the caramelized graham crackers were so delicious, and whenever I got a bite of ice cream with one of those gems, it was heavenly. The caramelized graham crackers were a perfect addition to the ice cream, and provided a deliciously sweet crunch. All in, I’d give this a 6 out of 10. Hopefully next time we’ll get a 9 or 10. Either way, it’s still a great ice cream for fall.

Last night was a big day for 365scoops – we debuted our flavors at the Real Bloggers of NYC. Not to toot my own horn (wow, another awkward expression) but it seemed that the ice cream went over swimmingly! We served over 100 cups of ice cream from 15 pints of freshly churned flavors including Tiramisu, Charleston Chew, Key Lime Pie, Peach Sorbetto, and Vanilla Bean.

This morning, however, I was zonked. So zonked, that I needed a cup of caffeine – stat. For those of you who know me, I cannot drink caffeine. I become crazy, nutty, loopy and shaky (not so different from the present, non-caffeinated me). Not good things when I’m trying to work at my day job. But, alas, I had to succumb to my urges and drink coffee. In so doing, I realized that caffeinated ice was in order. After work, I marched myself home to create this very flavor.

Fun fact:

Adding the coffee to the milk and cocoa mixture

Shakers banned the consumption of coffee because they felt it was a luxury, but shortly thereafter the older members of congregations complained, so the elderly were allowed to drink coffee in the morning. Upon hearing this, the women in the community became very angry with the unfairness of the rule, so they lobbied and received the right to drink coffee the mornings of communal clothes-washing as well. SO despite their reputations of being stringent and unyielding, Shakers did sometimes show some flexibility!

This happens to be a very simple (and wildly delicious recipe). I made the ice cream with caffeinated coffee (duh) but have also made versions with decaf and it tastes exactly the same and still delicious.

Warm the milk and half-and-half in a large pot until small bubbles form around the edges. Whisk in the cocoa and instant coffee and stir vigorously so that it dissolves. Set aside.

Whisk together (I used my new fun blue whisk!) the three egg yolks. Slowly add in the sugar until it is dissolved and the yolks are pale yellow.

Pour the hot coffee/chocolate mixture into the egg mixture (slowly so they don’t scramble!) and stir thoroughly. Pour the mixture back into the large pot and heat until the mixture either coats the back of a spoon, or it reaches 185 degrees.

And it reaches 185 degrees. Eggs are cooked, phew!

Let the mixture cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Once the mixture is cooled, pour into the base of an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (approximately 20 minutes).

Scoop into a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. Drizzle with the mocha sauce and enjoy!

The Verdict: Hit the spot. I’m sick and tired of saying “yummy” so this time I’ll say, delectable! Really, this is good stuff. I even put a scoop of it in my coffee this morning, and let me tell you, I do not regret it. A perfect, creamy addition. Enjoy!